The Class of 2027 Celebrates Halfway

Source: Jennifer Song

On Thursday, January 29, the class of 2027 gathered in Caplin Pavilion for a toast to celebrate halfway through law school. 1.5 years down, 1.5 more to go! In true middle child fashion, whether the event would happen was uncertain after the snowstorm, and several emails were sent regarding changes to the event time. Still, somehow, despite the confusion, the show went on.

The crowd flooded into the room, where catered hors d’oeuvres sat atop tablecloths, and champagne bottles were being poured out into flutes. This reporter has been informed that the assortment of finger sandwiches, chicken tenders, and more was leaps and bounds above the cheese platter of yesteryear (sorry, not sorry to the Class of 2026). There were small tables at the center of the room for standing and snacking with a lovely view of the iced-over Spies Garden.

Polite greetings and mingling ensued for thirty minutes before Dean Leslie Kendrick took the stage. In a candid and delightful speech, Dean Kendrick reminded those in the crowd that it has somehow been eighteen months since we stepped foot in the Law School and eighteen months since she began her role as Dean of the Law School. In a simple but effective way, she reminded the class that it is important to “schedule joy” into our busy lives and to celebrate our accomplishments along the way. The room filled with raised glasses, and a “cheers!” was heard from the crowd.

In the aftermath of the toast, students mingled and caught up with their friends after a couple of days trapped in the snow. The Matriculation Book (started last year as a physical memorialization of the students who have passed through these halls) was sitting atop a table for students to stop and sign. Seeing everyone’s names slowly fill the page made me realize just how much our lives had all changed in eighteen months. New people met, new adventures taken, and lots of time spent wondering, “Do I really need to read for class tomorrow?”

Maybe I enjoy being a little bit sentimental, or maybe it’s the seasonal depression catching up to me, but it was nice to see most of our class back together again. There is still plenty of time left to go, yet also no time at all. Let’s see what the next half brings us.